The Power of the Spirit and the Indigenization of the Church

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to revisit the theological reflection on the question of what it means to bepentecostal (pentecostal identity) from the perspective of Latin American pentecostalism, specifically focusing on the experience of Chilean pentecostalism. The first section will explore the written sources on the early Chilean revival, aiming to visualize and interpret the understanding of pen teco stal identity, which emerged from such local experience. The second section will attempt a dialogue between this local understanding of pentecostal identity and some of the biblical texts that have nourished the global understanding of pentecostal identity, mainly Acts 1:8 and 2:4-6, as well as their interpretation by classical North American pentecostal scholars. The expected outcome is an argument that the stress in the interpretation of Spirit baptism should be put on the empowerment of the local Christian community to become an indigenous missionary church, rather than on speaking in tongues.